Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

I appointed the innovation task force on 29 June 2009 to advise the Government on its strategy for positioning Ireland as an international innovation development hub and to assist in making the smart economy a reality. I very much welcome the report, which was launched on 11 March last and provides a roadmap for one of the five action areas in the smart economy framework and complements the progress which has already been made on other aspects of the strategy. Specifically, it endorses the Government's vision for Ireland as a global innovation hub and suggests we have the potential to achieve this goal.

The report contains many new ideas, as well as calling for a reinforcement and better alignment of existing efforts and programmes. It has made a wide range of recommendations, including in the areas of investment in research and development, the higher education sector, access to intellectual property, public procurement, tax and other incentives, convergence and other opportunities for transforming existing companies, infrastructure and marketing. In particular, it suggests we need to re-focus and re-invigorate all parts of the "innovation ecosystem" and stresses that the focus of all efforts must be the entrepreneur and enterprise if we are to deliver the step-change in job creation we need. It also poses a challenge to industry to seize the opportunities arising.

The detailed recommendations of the task force will, as the report itself recognises, require detailed consideration in the context of budgetary policy. I have signalled the Government's commitment to the agenda through the restructuring of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation. The transfer of responsibility for the programme of research in third level institutions to that Department is in line with a more strategic approach to public investment in research and development recommended by the task force.

It was also agreed, as one of the recommendations of the task force, to have an ongoing committee, chaired by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, to consider and oversee the implementation of the report. The membership of that committee is being finalised and will be announced shortly. In the meantime, progress is already underway in a number of Departments to prioritise implementation of the recommendations of the task force which can be progressed in the short term.

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